MORNING RETRIBUTION
by The Watch Stander
Summary: Sequel to MIDNIGHT SOLUTION It's the morning after and Trip wishes he was anywhere but on Enterprise!


                                    **MORNING RETRIBUTION**

The Watch Stander 

Just a quick Thank you to all that reviewed my stories. I really appreciate all the wonderful comments. 

Rating: Painful Humor

Suggest you read **MIDNIGHT SOLUTIONS** first to understand what's happening.

Summary: Poor Trip! It's the morning after **MIDNIGHT SOLUTIONS**! 

You asked for a sequel, so Enjoy!

Trip awoke from his first full night's sleep in two weeks. The grinding pace of engineering repairs was winding down now that everything seemed to be working correctly and all the so-called 'kinks' had been purged.

_I hope you're happy Capt'n, cause everyone's exhausted. _

He made his way to the mess hall to get coffee and breakfast. The coffee was mandatory to get his brain functioning again after two continuous weeks with very little sleep. Actually, he was looking forward to a little down time where he could catch up on his paper work and manual updates.  

I'm just gonna hide in my office for a spell and take it easy 

It brought a smile to his face as he walked into the mess hall; he was ready for a nice quiet day in engineering.

Jonathan Archer considered himself a patient man to a point. Things had gone very over the last two weeks. Enterprise was ready to face the unknown once more, thanks to the recent updates and repairs made by engineering. It had taken two weeks, but he knew from the reports that everything was shipshape and ready to go.

He also felt a twinge of guilt when he remembered what these repairs cost in terms of man-hours. Trip had been supervising the operation most of the time. It meant his Chief Engineer hadn't gotten much sleep. Archer sometimes took advantage of the fact that his Chief Engineer was also his best friend, when he asked for 200 percent instead of 100. Trip always came through; the work was well done and on time.  

Have to make it up to him. I'll have Chef make his favorite meal this week  

Archer sighed and picked up the padd on his chair as he sat down in the Captains' seat on the bridge. The chair tilted then straightened suddenly. Archer was puzzled, he knew he'd reported the problem. Taking the padd, he opened the gripe sheet page that went to engineering. It contained all the small problems that needed fixing. He found his request and underneath was the response. He had to read it twice cause he couldn't believe what it said. 

When he saw the signature below, it suddenly made him smile. Trip was obviously very tired when he wrote this. Jon thought about it then filled out another gripe sheet.

I just hope Trip had a good night's sleep when he reads this! 

T'pol was quietly sitting at her science station reading the engineering reports. Her eyes couldn't believe the answer to her request for repairs to the forward right scanner. 

Commander Tucker was obviously being overworked!

 Once more, she put in her request for repairs.

_One can only hope that I get a logical answer._

Hoshi came onto the bridge and sat down at communications after saying Good morning to her senior officers. She put her earpiece on and turned on the console. What greeted her was a loud screech! Picking up the padd, she searched it for the gripe sheet to check if the repair had been made. She couldn't believe the notation underneath, a sly smile crossed her face as she decided what to do.

 I hope Commander Tucker is in a good mood this morning! 

Travis came in next, greeted everyone and took over his chair from the night crewman. Hoshi was smiling deviously and noting something on her padd. When she saw him, she got up and walked over to him.

"Read the gripe sheet Travis, you'll love it!" She whispered to him with a sly smile on her face.

Travis was still sleepy, but his eyes widened when he saw his repair requests' solutions.

"What!" he exclaimed out loud and realizing where he was quickly covered his mouth. 

Hoshi smirked. She knew she had a fellow conspirator! 

_Watch out Trip! _She thought and started to put her plan in action.

Malcolm Reed had been at his station long before the others had arrived. He was running his morning diagnostics when a thumping sound came from below his console. Puzzled, he picked up his padd and looked at the gripe sheet.

 His eyes widened, "The bloody cheek of the man!"

 It was said out loud and realizing this he looked up and saw the three smiling faces of his fellow bridge crew, T'Pol's expression was neutral.

"Sorry," He said as his face turned red. 

Then he decided what to do, and filled out the gripe sheet.

Well Mr. Tucker, I hope you've had your coffee! 

********************************************************************

Trip was leaning back in his chair with his feet on the desk, reading his manual updates when a call came in from the bridge. He reached over his desk lazily and pushed the button on the comm. 

A loud screech came from it and he jumped, knocking over his coffee with his hand as he tried to lower the volume. 

"Son of a bitch!" He said out loud, as he surveyed the coffee now covering his desk, his papers, and now him, from the crotch down. 

The sound disappeared and Hoshi's voice came through the comm. 

"Are you alright, Commander? She asked innocently, knowing something had happened and guessing what it was.

"Yeah, just spilled ma coffee, that's all." He answered disgustedly, as he started to wipe up the mess on his desk with a rag. "What was that noise?"

" I think your solution to my console's volume didn't work. You need to make it a little more believable!" She answered sweetly with a wicked smile that he couldn't see. 

Trip wasn't happy when he realized what she was implying. He closed his eyes and groaned as he suddenly remembered sending out so-called solutions last night at midnight on the gripe sheet. 

"I'll send Kelly up to fix it right away," he said pleadingly hoping to make peace.

"Thanks, Commander, Oh, and have a nice day." She added trying not to giggle.

Trip shook his head and continued to clean up the coffee. After finishing the desk cleanup, he started to wipe off his uniform and realized this was his last clean one since he hadn't taken the time to send his dirty ones out to be washed. 

"Great!" he said out loud to no one. 

It would mean sitting in a damp, coffee stained uniform all day. 

He turned on the computer and brought up yesterdays gripe sheet & his solutions to see who else he had pissed off last night. 

_What was I thinking! Payback is gonna really be ugly! Oh God, I even got the Captain_!

It dawned on him that maybe hiding in a Jeffries tube would be a better place to be today.

He paged down to today's new gripe sheet and groaned when he saw feedback regarding his solutions.

Yesterday's repair request was listed first, then Trip's solution, followed by the crewmember's feedback on the repair and their suggestions if any.

Archer's two requests, the first for his chair and the second for the squeak in the floor of his quarters were on top of the gripe list.

Problem: Something loose in the command console of my chair.

Trip's solution: **Something tightened in the command console on your chair**.

Feedback: That **something** is still wrong with my chair.

Suggestion: That **Someone** should fix it and make the Captain happy! Or Else!

_This wasn't a good start. I've already pissed off the Captain!_

He read Archer's next problem.

Problem: Mouse like squeak still in my quarters.

Solution: **Cat Installed**

Feedback: Porthos ate the cat, Solution failed.

Suggestion:  Suggest you try something else on the squeak in my cabin floor.

_Well, at least Jon had a sense of humor._

I'll have Kelly look at the chair while she's on the bridge fixing Hoshi's console and check the floor later. 

T'Pol wasn't letting him off easy either which was no surprise. When it came to her equipment, it better work or else!

Original problem: Right forward scanner inoperative.

Solution: **Forward scanner always inoperative in OFF MODE**

Feedback: Off button not engaged and forward scanner still not working.

Suggestion: Suggest Chief Engineer rethink problem's solution quickly before we run into something. Engineering may not need to see what's ahead, but bridge does.

Might as well add that to Kelly's list.

Travis was next and Trip's solution made him cringe as he read it.

Original problem: Ship handles funny.

Solution: **Ship warned to straighten up, fly right, and be serious.**

Feedback: Ship still not acting right, beginning to remind me of a certain Chief Engineer!

Suggestion: (Respectfully) Chief Engineer should follow his own advice.

"Ouch!" Trip exclaimed, "and from Travis no less!

Malcolm's were the last ones on the list with feedback

Problem: targeting scanner hums

Solution: **Reprogrammed targeting scanner with lyrics.**

Feedback: Target scanner still humming

Suggestion: Suggest you reprogram with finale from 1812 overture! This way we'll sound like we have weapons. More appropriate don't you think?

Trip snickered, Malcolm's so called British reserve was all a lie. Just reading this proved it!

Original Problem: Noise coming from tactical instrument panel, sounded like midget with a hammer.

Solution: **Took Hammer away from midget**

Feedback: Midget has found another hammer and brought back a friend to help as well. 

Suggestion: Take all hammers and lock them up in armory. Then maybe Chief Engineer will be able to quell this noise before Armory officer is forced to ask Captain for complete overhaul of weapons systems.

Trip sighed; he knew when he was whipped.

 Malcolm would do it too. It would mean another three days of crawling around in grease and doing double shifts. Enterprise couldn't be without its weapons online for very long. 

What had started out as a good day was slowing going downhill. Trip found himself getting depressed. He decided to go to the mess hall and get something sweet to cheer him up.

When he entered the mess hall, there were very few people there so he pretty much had his pick of whatever desserts were in the case. 

Peering through the glass, he noticed a piece of pecan pie and quickly opened the door and retrieved it. He set it down on a table by the view port and went back for a glass of milk.

Once seated he picked up his fork and took his first bite. It was one of life's small pleasures and tasted heavenly; it helped make the day all go away. Chef had outdone himself. 

Phlox entered the mess and spotting Commander Tucker went over to his table. He had a medical report in his hand. 

"Ah, Commander, there you are." He smiled his usual jovial smile as stood beside the table in front of Trip.

Trip looked up, then remembered Phlox had been included on the gripe list.

"What can I do for you, Doc," he asked hesitantly, hoping for at least one reprieve.

"I just thought I'd let you see my suggestion to your repair solution, before I give it to the captain." Another wide smile, this time with a twinkle.

Trip sheepishly took the proffered report. 

It was a medical evaluation

Its summation simply read "Chief Engineer showing signs of mental fatigue and will need a complete mental and physical evaluation immediately. 

Trip put down his fork, it would take hours to do the medical tests and it also meant being used as a pincushion when Phlox took blood samples.

"Ahh, Doc, do you really have to do this?" It came out sounding more like a whine, but Trip was pleading with him.

Phlox looked thoughtful, "Not if you fix my sickbay door today." He smiled again.

Trip was relieved, Rostov could do that. They could spare him from engineering.

"I'll send Rostov as soon as I get back to engineering." Trip promised as Phlox smiled then took the report from him and left.

Once more Trip delved into the pie and once more, he tried to relish its every bite knowing it might be his last meal if the bridge crew caught him in here.

He was just about to finish the last bite when someone walked over.

"How was the pie, Commander?" A voice asked

Trip was surprised when he looked up and saw who it was. "Great Chef, the best you've ever made."

Chef smiled, "Glad you enjoyed it. Oh, about those bugs I reported…"

Trip didn't let him finish, "I know, I'll come and clean them up personally. It'll be first on my to do list." Trip answered quickly hoping Chef would take it as his way of apologizing.

Chef smiled, "No need Commander I found another use for them. 

Trip's eyebrows arched quizzically.

 "I ran out of pecans." Chef added.

Trip almost gagged as he watched Chef smile at him, then turn and leave; chuckling all the way out the door.

End


End file.
